Shooting From Prone Posistion

[JimP]

Alright I hate to admit it but at 64 years old I am a relative new-bee to shooting a rifle from the prone position so I have some questions.

When I get down and try to look through the scope I don't get a real good sight picture and feel like I have my eyes pointed up to get a view through the scope which doesn't give me a good sight picture, this is on a level surface. If I aim the rifle at a downhill target I get a better sight picture just because of the angle, if the target is elevated my sight picture is worst than it is on the level.

I feel like I just can't get my head into the correct position or on the right angle to see through the scope. I have tried different angles and a few other things to no avail.

My set up right now is a 9" Harris Bipod which I have tried different heights.

Can anyone give me some pointers over the net that might give me a idea of what I am doing wrong?

 

[Colorado Cowboy]

I'm not sure you are doing anything wrong. I need quite a bit of elevation of my rifle over the ground to be comfortable. My neck is just too short and I can't really do well looking up from a prone position. When I was in the service we shot prone and it seemed a lot more comfortable then, but I was 55 years younger and a lot more nimble than now! We used iron sights also, scopes are a lot more critical in eye relief too. I actually like to find a small pile of rocks and use them for support instead of my tripod. I really like too use the tripod from a sitting position. MEANT BIPOD!

 

[packer58]

You may need to get your butt elevated more....rifle butt that is!! A rear bag will probably help and will help square you up with your optics and should get rid of that "looking up at the scope issue".

 

[JimP]

I have found that if I do elevate the butt of the rifle that then things will come together better for me. Hence the reason I can actually get a better sight picture if I am looking or shooting downhill rather than on the level.

CC, I also think that it has something to do with my age. I remember being in the scouts and shooting 22's all the time from the prone position with it never bothering me.

I have always chosen the sitting position for shooting, heck I even used the sitting position when I sighted in a few of my scoped rifles. The longest shot that I have ever takes at a elk at just under 800 yards was from a sitting position and I connected on him on both shots. I have found that using a Bog Pod tripod help a lot if I am sitting down also. On my African hunt I took a kudu at 479 yards and a spring buck at 439 yards while sitting using a Bog Pod.

Perhaps it is true, you can't teach a old dog new tricks. But I'm still going to try.

 

[packer58]

Persistence.......You'll get it dialed in. I just had my 59th birthday middle of last month and have noticed my body changing over the last few years......Stay active, think young and keep on going !! I have a few hunting buddy's about 15 years younger and i can still make em whine a little

 

[mcseal2]

I think that's normal. Sometimes I have to get creative, use my pack lying at an angle or on it's side, crank my body to the side a bit, whatever it takes. It's not ideal or even right but can be effective. I have a short neck and big shoulders to get straight on and shoot up. I find it helps me a bunch to shoot my 22 from all positions I may use on a hunt for several weeks before I leave. I am lucky enough to live in the country where I can shoot my spinner target in my yard a few shots from every position a few nights a week. A scope that's pretty forgiving on eye relief and a rifle that won't stomp me help my accuracy too. It's hard for me to shoot a hard kicking rifle well when it's sitting on the bones on top of my shoulder instead of on the meat of my shoulder. At least it's harder in practice, at game recoil seems to not be what my brain is focused on. I think all the 22 practice helps prevent a flinch when shooting prone.

 

[Tim McCoy]

I almost always shoot sitting. With the LR success you've had sitting, I'd just sit. But I will go prone when convient or I feel I need to for a very LR shot. The Stoney point I use is about a 9" to 12" tall unit. Works for me as long as very moderate angles are involved. All I can offer is practice more, try different bi-pod heights and position modifications. It seems to be in vogue to almost point your body along with the rifle nearly straight at the target. I learned prone many decades ago, and find it works better for me with more of an old school offset of body to the target.

 

[hoshour]

I'm also more comfortable shooting from a sitting position and nearly always do. It's important to shoot from a position you're comfortable with and have practiced being accurate using.

I missed a huge bear a few years ago on an easy shot because I let the guide talk me into a prone position. I never shoot that way but in the heat of the moment I just did what I was told. I didn't notice that my rife butt wasn't well seated into my shoulder and shot high and he ran off. Then I kicked myself for listening to a young guide tell me to do something I wasn't comfortable with. I probably should have practiced shooting prone at home, but realistically, I should just have gone ahead and done what I was comfortable and accurate with.

He was a young idiot guide anyway. When I put a perfect shot into another bear (offhand at 100 yards) he started running at the bear with six guns blazing while I yelled at him to stop. He didn't want the bear to run off. I didn't want unnecessary holes in my bear rug. As it turned out, he missed every shot except for nicking an ear. Every time I look at that bear rug with the nick in the ear I think about that idiot guide.

 

[Bonecollector]

Thanks for the laugh hoshour! Congrats on the bear! Look on the bright side, you've got a great story.

 

[JimP]

It is a little bit funny that all the outfitters want you to take a shot while you are in the prone position no matter what.

On a bear hunt that I did in British Colombia my guide wanted me to get down into it but it was a uphill shot and there was no way that I could see through my scope on that angle. I sat up and moved over to a tree that had branch that I could steady myself on and he still wanted me to use one of our packs to rest the rifle on. I got onto the tree limb and got the bear at 378 yards.

 

[Colorado Cowboy]

I alluded to changes in your body as you get older and also effects from injury and surgeries. I am going to be 76 later this year and have had some serious health issues the last 20 years. I am a cancer survivor and also a disabled veteran. Some of the effects from these situations make you change your approach to shooting and hunting if you want to keep doing these activities, you need to be flexible and adapt your approach. I have a colostomy, which really prevents me from laying on my abdomen, so sitting is my preferred position. I also have had 2 total shoulder replacements and prone shooting does hurt.

Bottom line is ....adapt and practice, make the best of it.

 

[tim]

Try shooting prone, without the bipod.